A wise man once told me, “Do what you love, and life (and work) will be much more pleasurable (and likely more effective).” – it’s with these words, through both hard times and good I have seen how in life this rings true.
I think back and look around me today and am grateful to be in a business that I love - working with people and organizations with the purpose of advancement, challenging the status quo, creating impact, and making a real difference drives me each and every day.
Recently, I stumbled across a new TV show, Rogue Heroes, based on the book by Ben Mcintyre - it tracks the rise of David Stirling, founder of the Special Air Service in North Africa during World War II.
I of course knew of the man, the legend, and the story in general terms, but what I didn’t realize was the extent of the pioneering nature of his small group that ultimately created the most elite fighting force in the world.
What struck me was that it wasn’t the fight itself that was the driver - it was challenging the status quo, reinventing the norm, and disrupting to create new ways of doing things resulting in change and impact – the ultimate disruptors, and yes, they loved what they did!
”From this context, I realize that what we do today is the same – we’re not just looking at new ways to approach things for the sake of doing so, we’re doing it to make a difference and drive impactful change – that’s what we do in business today, isn’t it?”
I look at my friends and colleagues at 4xi.
I think about Georgina Miranda, who just this morning I heard from – she was in the far depths of the Amazon rain forest as part of her latest adventure and crusade to understand the people of the world, diversity, inclusion, different cultures, and how we can all take responsibility and protect our planet for future generations to come.
It is her passion that has changed so many lives (and organizations), and how she drives and impacts change.
Helene York recently returned from Japan, her wedding anniversary didn’t get in the way of progressing her passion for all things sustainability, meeting with folks, visiting businesses, learning from others around the world, using her influence to educate, and facilitate change.
”Pursuing your passions is important in the work context but also personally, work itself doesn’t always accommodate sometime the more artistic sides of our personalities, and it’s critically important for all of us to express ourselves.”
Tony Johnson, 4xi’s Chief Experience Officer loves what he does – creating enterprise strategies and execution for organizations seeking to advance their human experience, employee, and customer experience – but he is a man of many passions beyond his profession, his business books, and his keynote speaking, he’s a qualified drone pilot, and a budding mixologist.
With his creations (from left to right): Bloody Mary 2.0, White Christmas, Apples & Oranges, The Slimer, Cherry Vodka Limeade, Mcgillicuddy’s Bourbon Fernet, and Dubonnet & Gin.
I have always understood the value of creating release opportunities for creativity beyond work and have always encouraged it too.
A personal friend and fellow industry professional, Eric Drake found his creative release through music commencing a ten-year journey in chronicling his music through a series of releases called SUIT.
I had the great pleasure to collaborate with Eric and pen the lyrics to one of his tracks on SUIT 1, and enjoy listening to SUIT 2 and 3 on Band Camp, one of my favorites, All I Ever Wanted.
Clearly, we all have our different passions, from fashion, to gardening, to music, travel, and food, but Ann McNally, 4xi’s operations, coaching, and growth expert turned her passion into a business use case leveraging the 4xi platform in the creation of Criterion Benchmarking about to be launched in early 2023.
Criterion is a membership-based survey and insights platform designed to anonymously share data between peers to provide learning outcomes.
Then on to my own passion, writing. A decade ago, I first contemplated writing a book of short stories, the subject, unsung heroes, and in 2018 released my first historical fiction novel (under the pen name, Willy Mitchell, my grandfather’s name), Operation ARGUS. Nearly 5 years later, I have just released my latest work, book number 6, SS Indigo, Twelve’s Company, a murder mystery where 12 strangers are invited to a mysterious Caribbean cruise.
It's been a journey, a lot of dedication, investment in time, using my free moments on planes, trains, in hotels, airports, and Saturday mornings, but the sense of achievement is great, the sense of the legacy I have created even greater, and the opportunity to memorialize these stories on behalf of others, priceless.
So, the moral of the story is, whatever your passion, life (and work) will be much more pleasurable (and effective) if you can apply it in such a way that you can feel purpose, that you’re making a difference, creating memorable moments, impacting the lives of others, and above all, having fun!
Never discount the impact fun and distraction can have on your quality of life and your productivity at work. These kinds of activities not only satisfy our need to be creative and stretch ourselves but provide a powerful catalyst for quality work.
When you can disconnect, recharge, and engage different skills it recharges your passion and your enthusiasm.
Do what you LOVE: Pursue Your Passions
Simon Elliot is Managing Partner and co-founder of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions and is focused on a people-first approach to enable optimum Human Experiences for people away from home: at work, in education, at rest, or at leisure.
Simon believes that Experience Matters! applies in many different ways and is the fundamental foundation of a successful business, no matter the business.
Simon is a global citizen, having lived, worked, and traveled to over 45 countries and six continents, and believes in the power of human potential. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, a Member of the Institute of Leadership & Management, and the North America Chair of the WORKTECH Academy. Simon lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure.
We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success.
We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators:
Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx)
Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand
Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX)
Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design
Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations
TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth
Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation
Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation
Market Research Reports & Benchmarking
4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy.
San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo
Comments